Along with all the country’s national parks, Mesa Verde will offer free admission Saturday.
The occasion is National Public Lands Day. Other federal agencies waiving fees Saturday include the Fish & Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Forest Service.
National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands, according to a news release from Mesa Verde National Park. Seven federal agencies as well as nonprofit organizations and state, regional and local governments participate in the annual day of improving the health of public lands and encouraging shared stewardship through volunteer service.
The National Park Service also will waive entrance fees on Nov. 11 in commemoration of Veterans Day. Visit www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm for a full list of fee-free days.
johnp@durangoherald.com
What’s free?
All of the country’s national parks offer free admission on Saturday. Many other government sites are free, but not all. These regional parks and monuments are free Saturday:
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Hovenweep National Monument
Mesa Verde National Park
Aztec Ruins National Monument, New Mexico
Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico
Arches National Park, Utah
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument never charges admission. The Anasazi Heritage Center west of Dolores will offer free admission Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Chimney Rock National Monument will not offer free admission Saturday. It is $12 to enter and is open from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 970-883-5359 for information on tours.